Balloon spinner



lDern 30, 1930. B. c. MERRITT ALLooN sPI'NNER Filed April 4. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 3o, 1930.

B. C; MERRTT BALLOON SPINNER Filed April 4, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 30, 1930 1,787,159

UNITED sri-iras Param* orifice BENJAMIN C. MERRITT, OF SI-IREWSBURY, MASSACHUSETTS BALLOON SPINNER Application filed April 4, 1929. rSerial No. 352,559.

This invention relates to a device for spinpassa-ge down into it for a short distance for ning a balloon or other light object of a simireceiving the bottoni of a wire 12. In the lar nature. y case shown, an extension 130i1 the saine di- The principal objects of the invention are aineter as the rod 10 is provided for receivto provide a flexible rod or support with ing this wire 12. It is secured to the end means for connecting a balloon or the like to of the rod, and spaced from it, by a tube it in such a way that the balloon is capable 14 oit' stift1 material, as metal or pasteboard, of a rotary motion on an axis coincident or which is covered with a sheet 15 of heavy parallel with the axis thereof; to provide the paper or other material which will conceal i0 same with a weight extending out at one side the tube 1i. By gluing the sheet 15 to both c by which the balloon can be rotated through the members and 13 the creeping of the utilization of centrifugal force produced by tube 1a is prevented and this tube keeps the swinging the said weight; to provide an imjoint between the two parts of the rod rigid. proved form of holder for the balloon and to The wire 12 which extends verticallydown 15 provide various improvements in details ot through the extension 13 is provided with C5 construction by which the above mentioned a bend 16 at the bottom so that it can rotate objects can be obtained. in this member 13 Without danger of becom- Reference is to be had to the accompanying detached -from it. At thetop this wire ing drawings in which is bent into a scroll 17 or hook and then is y lo Fig. 1 is a side view of a preferred em twisted at 18 into another wire 19, or the To bodiment of the invention showing` by full end of the same wire, which extends out at and dotted lines the positions of the parts an inclination and is provided with an operwhen at rest and when spinning; ating weight 20 on the end. From the twist Fig. 2 is an enlarged diametrical sectional 1S two wires 22 extend upwardly at 'a low view of the top of the rod and parts vfor inclinationand are'provided with a substanconnecting it with the balloon; tially circular' body 21 at the top formed of Fig. 3 is a side view taken at right angles two wires twistedin with the slanting wires to Fig. 2; 22 at points 23 on opposite sides. This con- Fig. 4 is a plan thereof; stitutes a frame lor holder having a circular 3o "Fig 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing top and a substantially conical base, thebase o a modified form, and being formed by these two wires 22 alone.

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing another The purpose of this frame is to provide a modification. support for the balloon' 11 which rests on The object of the invention is to provide the substantiallyy circular body 21. The open a slim and iexible rod or support 10 with end or nozzle or' the balloon is brought down ."5 means for carrying an inflated balloon 11 or into the loop or scroll 17 by drawing it other similar object in such a way that by through the saine between the lwire on the moving the hand holding the rod in a circle side toward the weight and the wire on the or ellipse, the balloon will be caused to rotate opposite side. This simultaneously pinches 4o on the axis of the rod. The latter will'bend the nozzle end of the balloon to keep it tight f; 'rout at the top, as indicated ink dotted lines in and prevents the `escape of air and also holds Fig. 1, to add to the motion of the balloon. this tail of the balloon firmly in place so By bending out inthis substantially conical that itwill set in a position resting on the -iorm a compound motion is produced in the circle 21. balloon, that is, it rotates on its own axis Now inoperation the user swings his hand ab and its axis rotates on an axis at an inclina` holding the rod 10aroundin a circle or other vtion to the normal central position of the rod curve which results in throwing out theup- 10Q l per end somewhat as indicated in dotted lines In the form shown in the first four figures in Fig. l. As the rod swings around thismo- Y the top of the rod is provided with a vertical tion results in throwing the center of ,the

loop 17 0H and rotating it in a circle or other closed ligure by the swinging of the weight 20 around the end of the rod. The wire at the bottom of the loop 17 bends, by the action of centrifugal force, and allows the stick to swing around the balloon which stays in centralposition.

It will be seen therefore that the motion of the weight 2O is a compound motion and aside from its swinging on its own center it can be varied by the user. This results of course inV swinging the'whole wire frame and taking the balloon along with it.

This simple device has beenfound to be a source of great enjoyment to children and even those of more mature'age find amusement in it.

In the form shown in Fig. 5 two modifications are shown. In the first place the weight 2O is mounted on a horizontal instead of an inclined wire 29 and this wire extends, by means of a twisted wire 28, to a point at the other side of the rod `l0 and then this wire extends vertically and is provided with a wooden plug 30 which is mounted on a vertical axis.- It is to this plug that the frame 31, similar to the frame that has been described in connection with Figs. l, 2, 3 and Ll, is secured. It will not be necessary to describe this frame more fully but the plug is provided with a groove 32 around it and the nozzle end of the balloon is fitted over this plug andy bound into this groove bya string or the like. This plugl and wire frame are rigid with respect to the portions 28 andv 29. The effect is similar to the one described above in connection with the other Vfigures but there is an additional motion around the axis of the rod.

In Fig. G another form is shown in which the rod 10 is provided with a wire 33 positively fixed thereto and having t-he weight 2O onthe end and is also provided with a handle 34 rotatably mounted on the rod. The handle is held inthe hand and the rod will rotate, the weight being capable of being adjusted up and down it, but always fixed to the stick so as to cause the balloon to have about the same effect as in the other leases.

There is a-different frame 85 for holdingthe balloon in this case and the nozzle end of the balloon is tied to the end of the rod'by a Although lhave illustrated anddescribed ."I only three forms ofthe invention Iam' aware' fore', Ildolnot wishto be-limitedin this frespect but Ewhatl Ilclaimlisfzf Y 1.!A`s`an article .of manufacture, a lballoon spni'ier'comprisingga 'flexible rod to 'be held inltheihand,.meanslfor supporting a balloon weight extending outwardly from the supporting means rotatable therewith and arranged eccentrically with respect to t-he ro'd by which'the balloon will be turned when the rod is turnedY rapidly.

2. As an article of manufacture, a balloon spinner comprising a flexible rod adapted to be swung around in the hand of the user, a wirearranged axially and rotatable on the axis of the rod, a frame carried by said wire fori supporting an inflated balloon and a weight supported by the .frame in eccentric position with respect to the rod, whereby the swinging of the rod in the hand will result in the weightrotating about the axis of the rod and taking the balloon with it.

3. Tn a vballoon spinner, the combination with a flexible rod adapted to be held and swung around'by the hand'ofthe user, a wire rotatably mounted in the end thereof and projecting therefrom, said wire being provided with a loop near the end of the rod for supporting and holding the nozzle end ofr a balloon, an arm extending away from the loop and having a weight on the end thereof and a frame supported by said wire for engaging and holding the lower surface of an inflated balloon, the nozzle of which is held in said loop..

Il. In a balloon spinner, the combination with longitudinal rod adapted to be manipulated by the hand ofthe operator, a

ypiece of material spaced'slightly from .the

extreme end of said rodand perforated longitudinally,'a tube surrounding the end of the rod and said piece of material to secure them firmly in position, a wire rotatably mounted in the perforation` and having its end bent overto prevent removal and a wire frame carried by the wire and extending above the same for supporting an inflated balloon;

5. As an article of manufacture, a'support for a balloon for the purpose described comprising a rotatable wirehaving a loop att-he end thereof for receivingand holding the nozzle end of an inflated balloon, a wire extending at an inclination downward and having a weight on the end, two wires extending outwardly from the loop and a substantially circular structure of wire at the upper end thereof for supporting the bottom of the balloon.

6. ln a balloon spinner, the combination with a rod and means at theatop thereofl for supportingan infiated balloon, ofa. handle rtrtatablyv mounted on saidrod `and a wire supporte'd'by the rod at a distance from* the handle and.l projecting j therefrom and provided with a weight on the end for .thepuipose described. j y

In testimony whereof). It have' hereunto affixed myy signature.-v

BENJAMIN C. MERRITT. 

